Pre-Holiday Season 2019: Shopping with Noel - Victory

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Next stop, Victory. They had some fun, retro stuff out but it was no where to the extent of last year. 

The proprietors were pouring prosecco for customers. I, of course, indulged. I asked one of them if they were still setting things out for the season the response was that they were done.

We also checked out Brown & Greene. Nothin'.

Pre-Holiday Season 2019: Shopping with Noel - Lily and Violet, Gone ***

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Over the past few years Noel and I have noticed that stores have really be scaling back their holiday wares. Stores have been scaling back their wares in general due to the prevalence of online shopping so I guess it's not surprising. They're offering very safe and (in my opinion) unremarkable products. If they're not selling as much I'm sure they're less likely to take any chances. However, this is the most extreme I've seen it. Now I know the holidays, especially Christmas, are about more than shopping but I think stores decorating for Christmas certainly helps heighten the mood and anticipation and this year I'm just not seeing it. 

We started at Patina which didn't have anything to write home about. We then moved on to Lily and Violet only to discover they are no longer in existence. The charming little red house is now a menswear store. Above is a stock photo found on the internet.

Pre-Holiday Season 2019: Field Trip

Thursday, November 14, 2019

We took the students to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum today for a field trip about locally grown foods. 

They covered squash...

...and corn and wild rice. The kids got to sample.

We talked about apples trees being introduced to Minnesota and bred to grown in this climate. The kids made applesauce. 

We also learned about sweet potatoes and how they grow. The kids even got to dig some up and then help make some sweet potato pie. 

We got a really beautiful sunny day for the field trip. The first few days of the week were rather November-like in their cloudiness. Today we got some lovely golden November sun. It was a little chilly but not too cold. 

Pre-Holiday Season 2019: Transition from Fall to Winter

Thursday, November 15, 2019

I'm really appreciating the late afternoon golden light. I'm trying to pay more attention to the changes I see around me as we transition from fall to winter. It's not hard to do as I'm either walking home from school or walking Athena during the hour before the sun goes down. These photos don't really begin to capture the soft golden light. 

Pre-Holiday Season 2019: Martinmas

Monday, November 11, 2019

Martinmas snuck up on me this year. Work has been stressful and I've already been sick a few times. That's unprecedented. Currently I'm dealing with a very mild respiratory condition, but still. Three times ill in just over two months of school?  No fun. Also, Dale's been dealing with some overwhelming work issues as well so things have been a little gloomy around our household. We're trying awfully hard to keep our spirits up but that can take extra energy which can be hard when one is exhausted. 

Anyway, yard work is mostly done. Leaves are raked and bagged. I didn't quite finish cutting back all the plants I wanted to but it'll have to either wait for spring or the increasingly less likely warmer day. It's gotten quite cold recently and it's snowed a little here and there. Today we only got up to around 15 degrees. 

Last year Dale and I made a chicken pot pie to mark Martinmas. Today we had no such special dinner. Nigel Slater, a food writer I follow, will make a ham on Martinmas as something of a practice run for the ham he'll make for Christmas. I'm not that ambitious, however, I will note that I ate a ham sandwich for lunch. 

For me, Martinmas is developing into a day to mark that yard work is done, winter is inevitable, and that it's time to turn my energies inward to hearth and home. 

Candlemas 2019

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Was really hoping for some gingerbread to close out the season. Couldn't find cookies in the bakery at the grocery store. Dale and I settled for some oh oh cake from Kowalski's.

MLK

Monday, January 21, 2019

Although the day is meaningful in and of itself MLK weekend has become something of a mid-winter reflection point for me. The holidays have been over officially for a bit but it's a great time to reflect on how the spirit of it all can live on and how to appreciate winter for what it is.